You Wanna Fight Like A Man, You Go To Jail Like One! Uppercutting Bus Driver And Victim Facing Criminal Charges

It was all (inappropriate) fun and games last Friday when a video of a Cleveland RTA bus driver upper-cutting an unruly female passenger on his route went viral. But now things have gotten pretty serious. According to The Smoking Gun, both individuals are now facing criminal charges.

Prosecutors today filed misdemeanor criminal charges against both the driver and female passenger who fought last month on a Cleveland bus, a confrontation that included a vicious uppercut that was captured on a passenger’s cell phone.

Driver Artis Hughes, 59, was charged with assault, while passenger Shi’dea Lane, 25, was hit with a disorderly conduct rap.

The criminal cases, filed in Shaker Heights Municipal Court, were lodged one week after video of the September 18 bus incident began circulating online…

Witnesses told cops that Lane appeared “drunk” and became verbally abusive to Hughes after she failed to immediately pay her fare. Hughes told investigators that he “protected myself” after Lane “grabbed me in the throat and spit on me in the face.”

Hughes remains suspended without pay from his RTA job, according to an agency spokesperson. He faces a maximum of six months in jail and a $1000 fine if convicted of the assault count.

Lane’s lesser charge carries a maximum of 30 days in custody and a $250 fine.

Well, I guess this explains why Shidea wouldn’t answer certain questions under the advisement of her lawyer during that Fox interview. But from a look at her Twitter timeline she doesn’t appear to be too worried about this situation. Early this morning she tweeted:

*Insert exaggerated SIGH*

Yesterday, Shidea also said she was just coming back from the doctor and had to get her mouth wired for a week. I’m curious how she was still able to talk to the media. Something tells me that uppercut didn’t teach her much of a lesson about running those gums.